Writing Picture Books

JLCwrites · Sep 10, 2007

Just thought I'd liven up the children's section to discuss technique ideas.

A story idea has jumped into your head, now what do you do?

Do you make a story board when writing?

Do you visualize the images for each page?

What guidelines do you use when creating the story? (if any)

Every time I sit down to write a children's story, I start rhyming. I've written many fun stories in this fashion, but I can't seem to break away from it. I just recently wrote a RD for a story about a boy's imaginary friend, and how he begins to outgrow it. (Think Shilo by Neil Diamond) When I went back and re-read it. Poof! A few lines were rhyming! I want to break away from this habit!

So Id like to learn from those who have more experience. What is your writing technique?

moondance · Sep 11, 2007

If it's a picture book, I normally just sit down and write it, warts and all. It doesn't take long, after all! By the time I've got to the end, I usually have a pretty good diea of whether it's going to work. Of course at this stage it'll be far too long, so if I think it's worth doing, I check the character arc to make sure things are happening at the right time and in the right order - then I get down to the nitty-gritty of editing, cutting and rearranging.

That's kind of it really.
But I've only had one pbook published and have had no luck with any other texts since, so maybe it's time for me to change my style too??

Torgo · Sep 11, 2007

Turkey Lurkey said:
Poof! A few lines were rhyming! I want to break away from this habit!

So Id like to learn from those who have more experience. What is your writing technique?

Do you write good rhyming verse?

wyntermoon · Sep 11, 2007

I have a looooong poem that needs to be converted into prose because some of the lines don't ring true (and it bothers the boogers out of me) but each time I sit down to re-work it, it falls flat. Time to scrap it? Or simply look at it from a different angle?

Technique questions:
A story idea has jumped into your head, now what do you do?
- I write down the germ of the idea and popcorn it out

Do you make a story board when writing?
- Nope

Do you visualize the images for each page?
- Not usually

What guidelines do you use when creating the story? (if any)
- I'll try not to make it rhyme (this time

)

Susan Flemming · Sep 11, 2007

It's been a while since I've written a children's story that I felt could work as a picture book, but for the ones I did:

A story idea has jumped into your head, now what do you do?

I just started writing it down as the story played out in my mind.

Do you make a story board when writing?

Not at first. But I do use something like a story board later in the process. I make a 32 page mock-up to see if there are enough "picture" scenes to make it a picture book rather than just a short story.

Do you visualize the images for each page?

Yes, though I know that what I visualize will be different than any a future illustrator might create, it still helps me to see if I'm including written details that are unnecessary, since the illustrations can provide that info.

What guidelines do you use when creating the story? (if any)

To start out... simply to tell an interesting story.

Then edit and edit again to make sure that every word counts.

writerterri · Sep 11, 2007

I usually get an idea and let it flow in paper. I just write it out and play out the scenes freely. Then I put the story away without reading it again for about a month. Then I take it out and put it on my computer doing revisions along the way and put it away again. I'll usually put it in the SYW forum for opinions and do another revision and sit on it again. Then I'll read it out loud and revise it again and read it to the kids. Usually revision happens gain and I'll put up the final draft in the forum again and see what happens and then send it out.

It's a process that works for me. Putting it away ensures I'm looking at it with fresh eyes and that's important.

dolores haze · Sep 11, 2007

Turkey Lurkey said:
A story idea has jumped into your head, now what do you do?

Work it out in my head, and then start testing it out on the kids. I always approach a picture book with it's read aloud possibilities in mind, and try to make it as strong verbally as I can before I write it down.

Do you make a story board when writing?
Not even sure what that is. You mean drawing my own pictures?

Do you visualize the images for each page?
Not really. I start getting ideas after the story is finished.

What guidelines do you use when creating the story? (if any)
I've got to like the language and the message; the kids have to love the story.

So Id like to learn from those who have more experience. What is your writing technique?
I don't have much experience. I'm just starting out writing down five years worth of stories.
Thanks for starting this thread. I'm interested to see how others go about it.

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MsJudy · Sep 11, 2007

Every time I think I have a picture book idea, it grows and grows until it becomes a novel. so i give up!

brittanimae · Sep 20, 2007

Here's the trouble with that first write-through. You get through the story arc, and you have a character you really love. Then, when you come back, decide you hate the story arc, so you try to change the story, but then parts of your character go missing . . . why won't the arc come out right the first time? I guess the secret is to wait long enough before you start writing. And I should change all the "you"s to "I"s, shouldn't I?

Writing Picture Books

JLCwrites

moondance

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

wyntermoon

Susan Flemming

writerterri

It's a dorky day!

dolores haze

international guttersnipe

MsJudy

brittanimae

making a fresh start.